Name: Arroz con Camarones (Yellow Rice with Shrimp)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 2 lbs large shrimp (unpeeled); 3 tablespoons olive oil (divided); 1 small onion (finely chopped); 1 small green bell pepper (finely chopped); 3 cloves garlic (minced); 4 ounces pimentos (drained and sliced); 8 ounces tomato sauce; 2 cups uncooked long-grain rice (washed and rinsed); 3 cups shrimp stock ((instructions below)); 1/2 cup chicken stock; 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin; 1/8 teaspoon Bijol, annatto, or turmeric powder to color the rice; 1 bay leaf; Salt + pepper to taste; 1/2 cup frozen peas

In my Cuban family, we all have a passion for seafood. Shrimp, crab, lobster, we love it all! I mean hello, camarones enchilados is always on the menu.

We also love and enjoy rice of all types – yellow rice, white rice, moros. Duh, right?

So, naturally, Cubans have a wide array of rice dishes in our arsenal. Today, we’re adding another one to the list — arroz con camarones!

What is Arroz Con Camarones?

Arroz con camarones [pronounced a·rros kon ka·ma·ro·nes] translates to “rice with shrimp”. Another name for this dish is arroz amarillo con camarones which translates to “yellow rice with shrimp”.

No matter what you call it, this popular Latin dish is made with tasty shrimp and delicious yellow rice that’s cooked in homemade shrimp stock. Not to be confused with shrimp fried rice. This dish has several variations from Cuba, Mexico, Ecuador, Colombia, and other Latin and Caribbean countries.

Let me show you how to make it – Cuban-style!

Spanish yellow rice with shrimp in a Dutch oven

Ingredients You’ll Need

Large shrimp. The star of this dish! Make sure to buy large unpeeled shrimp and save the shells. We’re also cooking the shrimp at the very end to avoid them being overcooked with the rice.

Shrimp stock. We’re making our own homemade shrimp stock using shrimp shells.

Onion, green bell pepper, garlic, jarred sliced pimientos, tomato sauce. The sofrito! This is the base of most Cuban recipes. They add color and flavor to rice recipes.

Olive oil. To cook our sofrito.

Long-grain white rice. The best rice for this dish is because it stays fluffy without being clumpy.

Chicken stock. We’re using this stock along with the shrimp stock for extra flavor!

Ground cumin, bay leaf, salt + pepper. The spices for our dish.

Bijol. We’re using this to color the rice. You can also use annatto or turmeric powder if you can’t find Bijol.

Frozen peas. No need to thaw them before folding them into the rice.

easy homemade shrimp stock with shrimp shells

How To Make Homemade Shrimp Stock

Peel the shrimp and save the shells. You should have about 4 cups of shells from 2 lbs of large shrimp.

Boil the shrimp shells. In a saucepan, add cold water, the shrimp shells, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes. Strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer. This is your shrimp stock!

ingredients for arroz con camarones with Dutch oven and sofrito

Dutch oven with aromatics, pimentos and shrimp stock with rice

When you’re done with this recipe, make my Camarones Al Ajillo (Garlic Shrimp Recipe)!

How To Make Arroz con Camarones

Make the sofrito. In a Dutch oven or saucepan with a lid, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, green pepper, and garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes.

Cook the rice. Add sliced pimentos and tomato sauce. Sauté for 1 minute. Add rice, shrimp stock, chicken stock, ground cumin, Bijol, bay leaf, salt, and pepper to taste. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender about 15 minutes. DO NOT OPEN THE LID. The steam is what cooks the rice. After 15 minutes, remove from the heat but keep the lid on for another 5-10 minutes.

Cook the shrimp. Season the shrimp with salt + pepper to taste. In a large skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil at medium heat. Cook the shrimp for 2-3 minutes until they turn pink. Careful not to overcook or they will be rubbery. Set aside.

Combine it all together. Remove the Dutch oven lid and fluff the rice with a fork. Gently fold in the peas and cooked shrimp until all is well combined. That’s it!

How long do you cook raw shrimp?

You should cook raw shrimp for only 2-3 minutes in a hot skillet for the most tender, succulent shrimp. Cooking longer than 3 minutes will result in a chewy, rubbery texture. For this recipe, I highly recommend cooking the shrimp at the very end to avoid overcooking it.

cooked arroz con camarones in a Dutch oven shot from overhead

Recipe Tips

Making shrimp stock ahead of time. Follow step 1 of the recipe to make the shrimp stock then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate it until ready to use.

Storage for shrimp stock. Homemade shrimp stock can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days or up to 3 months in the freezer in a freezer-safe container.

Storage Tips

Refrigerate leftovers as soon as possible to avoid the shrimp spoiling. Cooked arroz con camarones will stay fresh for about 2 days in the fridge in an airtight container.

You can also transfer it to a freezer-safe container and place it in the freezer for up to 2 months. Just thaw before heating it up in a skillet.

yellow rice with shrimp on a white plate on a white table

Serving Tips

You can serve this arroz con camarones with sweet plantains (platanos maduros), sliced avocado, and a side salad, or you can just enjoy it on its own!

Can’t wait for you to make it!